Inhaled exposures were associated with several upper digestive diseases in a review
A review linked cigarette smoke, waterpipe smoke, and airborne particles with several upper digestive diseases. Barrett's esophagus showed no statistically significant association, and the abstract leaves the effect scale unspecified.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
The review reported associations between inhaled exposures and inflammation of the esophagus, reflux disease, peptic ulcers, and cancers of the esophagus and stomach. It did not find a statistically significant association with Barrett's esophagus. These pooled associations do not establish causation, and the abstract does not clarify which exposure contributed to each disease estimate.
The abstract labels its results as pooled estimates without identifying the statistical scale or reference groups. Studies also differed substantially, preventing a clear interpretation of the numerical estimates as individual risk changes.
Several exposures and diseases were grouped
The review covered cigarette smoking, waterpipe smoking, and particulate matter, meaning airborne particles. It examined several upper digestive conditions, but the abstract does not provide separate estimates for every exposure and disease pairing.
The null finding has limits
Barrett's esophagus was the exception to the reported significant associations. Its nonsignificant result does not prove an absence of association, while the findings for other conditions cannot establish that exposure reduction would prevent those diseases.
The original publication
Gastroesophageal disease risk and inhalational exposure a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Kim DH, Podury S, Fallah Zadeh A et al.
Sci Rep · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 40593094
- Record checked
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